Stand for reels



July 1, 1952 H, J. HICK 2,601,960

STAND FOR REELS Filed Aug. 1o, 195o Bnnentor HrrgeLHp'ck (ttornegs Patented July 1, 1952 sTAND Foa REELS Harry J. Hick, St. Cloud, F1a., assigner to Jack V. Abblett, Alliance, Ohio Application August 10, 1950,` Serial No. 178,698

The invention relates to stands for supporting reels, and more particularly to a stand adapted to support relatively heavy reels of cable, wire and the like in position to permit the cable or the like to be quickly and easily dispensed therefrom'.

It is desirable to mount reels of cable, wire and the like in such manner that the cable, etc., may be quickly and easily withdrawn therefrom, either in storerooms or salesrooms, where portions of the cable or wire are dispensed from time to time, or out in the eld where the cable or wire is withdrawn from the reel for use.

Such reels are frequently quite heavy, and it is a difficult and strenuous job for workmen to mount them upon such stands or supports as are now in use for this purpose.

In order to overcome this dimculty, the present invention contemplates the provision of a stand which permits even the heaviest reels of cable and the like to be quickly and easily mounted thereon with a minimum of eifort.

To this end, the improved reel stand may comprise a base having a spaced pair of pipe uprights thereon, and a shaft or axle for the reel, comprising a straight length of pipe having a T-connection xed to one end and a second T-connection adapted to be detachably connected to its other end, whereby this shaft or axle may be inserted through the center opening in the reel, the detachable T-connection attached thereto, and the stand tilted, so that the spaced uprights thereon are slidably inserted through said T-connections, after which the stand may be 'easily and readily tilted to upright position, supporting the reel journalled upon the shaft thereof so that the cable or wire may be easily uncoiled therefrom. o

The invention also has for an object the provision of stop means upon the uprights for positoning the shaft or axle at the proper height to permit easy manipulation of the reel.

Another object is to provide stop means above the shaft, whereby the stand may be tilted to position where the reel will contact with the door or ground, so that the device may be used as a 6 Claims. (Cl. 242-139) trundle to roll the reel upon the floor or ground to any desired location.

A further object is to provide such a reel in which the uprights are located on center, near one edge 'of the stand, so as to facilitate the tilting of the stand to upright position with the reel thereon.

A still further object is to provide a reel stand of the character referred to, having a simple wire 2 drag or brake for preventing the cable or wire from being unwound too rapidly from the reel.

It is also an object of the invention to insert removable lengths of pipe into the upper ends of the spaced uprights, to form handles providing additional leverage when very large and heavy reels are to vbe supported on the stand.

The above objects, together with others which will be apparent from the drawingand following description, or which may be later referred to, may be attained by constructing the improved reel stand in the mannerhereinafter described in detail and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of a reel stand embodying the invention, showing a reel of cable supported thereon in condition to be easily dispensed therefrom;

Fig. 2 a front elevationof the reel, showing the manner in which theV wire drag or brake is operated by withdrawing cable or wire from the reel;

Fig. 3 a detached elevation of the section of pipeforming the shaft or axle for thereel, with one T-connection fixed thereto;

Fig. 4 a detached elevation of the removable T-connection for the shaft or axle;

Fig. 5 a diagrammatic view showing the man- 11er in which the spaced uprights of the stand are inserted into the T-connections of the shaft or axle, in order to mount the reel upon the stand; and,

Fig. 6 a diagrammatic view, showing the manner in which the stand is tilted to upright position to support the reel in condition to permit the cable or wire to be dispensed therefrom.

Referring now more particularly to a preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout, the improved stand comprises a substantially rectangular base IB, which may be formed of angle irons I I of suitable length, welded or otherwise connected t0- gether at their corners.

A spaced pair of uprights are provided, preferably in the form of sections of pipe, as indicated at I2, one of these uprights being located at each i end of the elongated base IB and preferably, as

best shown in Fig. l, at points much closer to the rear side I3 than to the front side I4 of the base.

The lower ends'of these uprights may be provided with caps or collars I5, which may be Welded or otherwise secured to the end members of the base I0, andthe uprightsare'rigidly'braced'by means of the struts I6 and il at the front and rear sides thereof, which may be welded at their lower ends to the base I and at their upper ends to the uprights l2.

Each upright I2 may be provided with a series of spaced apertures I8, for the purpose of receiving stop members, such as the cotter pins IS, which are provided for properly positioning the reel shaft or axle upon the uprights as will be later described.

The shaft or axle for the reel may be in the form of a straight section of pipe, as indicated at 20, of suitable diameter to freely pass through the central opening 2I of a conventional reel, as indicated at 22.

Upon one end of the pipe is permanently attached a T-connection 23 and the other end of the pipe 20 may be provided with anysuitable means, such as the bayonet slot 24, for detachably securing the T-connection 25 thereon, as by the stud or pin 26. The T-connections 23 and 25 are of'suitable size to permit the uprights I2 to be slidablyv inserted therethrough.V

WhenV itis desired to mount a reel upon the shaft, the shaft or axle pipe'section 20 is inserted through the central opening-2| of the reel and the detachable T-conneetion 25 is attached to the shaft in the manner above described.

The stand is then tiltedrearward, so that the uprights I2 may' be inserted through the T-connections ZSand 25, as shown in Fig. 5, the cotter y pins` I-Svupon the uprights I2 limiting the movement of the uprights through the T-connections.

The upper ends of the uprights I2 may then be grasped in the hands, as indicated in Fig. 6, and the stand is tilted forwardly to upright position, as shown in Fig. 1, supporting the reel journalled upon the shaft 20, so that the cable or wire may be'unwound therefrom. In actual practice it has been found that Very heavy reels may thus be easily mounted upon this stand, the leverage produced by the uprights I2 permitting the stand, with the reel thereon, to be easily tilted toupright position with a minimum of labor.

In cases where exceptionally large and heavy reels are to be mounted upon the stand, removable pipe sections 2'! may be inserted into the upper ends of the upright I2, forming handles which provide considerable leverage, so that the operator may more easily tilt the stand, with the heavy reel thereon, to upright position.

By locating the uprights I2 at points closer to the rear of the base I0', as shown in the drawing,

it has been found that the stand may be Vmore easily and quickly tilted to upright position, after the reel has been placed thereon, as the center of the reel' will thus more quickly pass over the fulcrum or point of contact of the base Iii with the floor or ground as the stand is tilted toward' upright position.

For the purpose of providing a drag or brake upon the reel, so, as to prevent the reel from rotating too rapidly when` the cable or wire is withdrawn therefrom, a wire drag brake may be provided in the form of a bar or rod 28 having eyes 29 at opposite ends for slidably inserting upon the upper end portion of the uprights I2.

As the cable or wire 30 is withdrawn from the reel, it will be ipulled over this drag brake 28, forcing the same into frictional engagement with the periphery of the reel 22 and thus. controlling the movementvr of the reel` so that it will not be rotated toorapidlyn Y If itis desiredto use thestandas a trundle, in order to roll the reel upon the floor or ground 4 to transport it from one place to another, additional cotter pins such as shown at I9 may be placed in openings I 8 above the T-connections 23 and 25.

The stand may then be tilted rearwardly until the reel is in contact with the floor or ground, after which the stand may be swung to substantially horizontal position, upon the shaft 29 as a pivot, and the workman may grasp the stand and either pull or push to roll the reel upon the floor or ground to the desired location.

It will be evident from the above that a simple, efiicient and easily operated stand is thus provided, upon which a reel may be mounted with a minimum of labor and exertion, and which will support the reel in position to permit the cable or wire to be easily withdrawn therefrom as desired.

I claim:

1. A stand for supporting, a reel, said stand comprising a base, a spaced pair of uprights upon the base, av shaft upon which a reel may be journalled, a T-connection upon each end ci the shaft, the upper ends of said uprights being unobstructed whereby the stand may be tilted at an angle so thatthe uprights may be inserted through the T-connections and the stand tilted back to verticalposition to mount a reel thereon saidV T-connections being slidably mounted upon the uprights and, stop means upon the uprights for contact with the lower ends of the T-connections,

2. A stand for supporting a reel, said stand comprising a base, a spaced pair of uprights upon the base, said uprights beingy located adjacent to one side of the base, a shaft upon which a reel may be journalled, a T-conneotion upon each end of the shaft, the upper ends of said uprights being unobstructed whereby the stand may be tilted at an angle so that the uprights may be inserted through the T-connection and the stand tilted back to vertical' position to mount a reel thereon said T-connections being slidably mounted upon the uprights and stop means upon the uprights for Contact with the lower ends of the T-connections.

3. A stand for supporting a reel, said stand comp-rising a base, a spaced pair of uprights upon the base, a shaft upon which a reel may be journalled, a T-connection upon each end of the shaft, one of said T-connections being detachably connected to the shaft, the upper ends of said uprights being unobstructed whereby the stand may be tilted at an angle so that the uprights may be inserted through the T-connections and the stand tilted back to vertical position to mount a reel thereon said T-connections being slidably mounted upon the uprights and stop means upon the uprights for Contact with the lower ends of the T-connections.

4. A stand for supporting a reel, said stand comprising a base, a spaced pair of uprightsupon the base, said uprights :being located adjacent to one side of the base, a shaft upon which a reel may be journalled, a T-connection upon each end of` the shaft, one of said T-connections being detachably connected to the shaft, the upper ends of said uprights being unobsructed whereby the stand may be tilted at an angle so that the uprights maybe inserted through the T-connectious and the stand tilted back to Vertical position to mount a reel thereon said T-connections being slidably mounted upon the uprights and stop means upon the uprights for contact with the lower ends of the T-connections.

5. A stand for supporting a reel, said stand comprising a base, a spaced pair of uprights upon the base, a shaft upon which a reel may be journalled, a T-connection upon each end of the shaft, one of said T-connections being permanently attached to one end of the shaft, there being a bayonet slot in the other end of the shaft, the other T-connection having a stud for detachable connection to said Ibayonet slot, the upper ends of said uprights being unobstructed whereby the stand may be tilted at an angle so that the uprights may be inserted through the T-connections and the stand tilted back to vertical position to mount a reel thereon said T-connections being slidably mounted upon the uprights and stop means upon the uprghts for contact with the lower ends of the T-connections. g v

6. A stand for supporting a reel, said stand comprising a at base, a spaced pair of uprights upon the base located adjacent to one side of the f base, a shaft upon which a reel may be journalled, a. T-connection upon each end of the shaft, one

of the T-connections being detachably connected to the shaft so that it may be removed to insert the adjacent end of the shaft through a reel and then detachably connected to said end ofthe REFERENCES CITED The following references are vof record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 244,017 Zeigler July 5, 1881 2,381,303l Mellor Aug. 7, 1945 2,480,461 Gabrielson Aug. 30, 1949 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date Great Britain of 1906 

